


I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by noplacespecial



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003), Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: bsg_pornbattle, Crossover, Femslash, Het, Multi, Porn Battle, Prison, Romance, bsg_pornbattle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-07
Updated: 2009-12-07
Packaged: 2017-10-04 06:17:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noplacespecial/pseuds/noplacespecial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kara's had it with this godsdamned town, this country...this whole motherfrakking planet, actually.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://community.livejournal.com/bsg_pornbattle/profile)[**bsg_pornbattle**](http://community.livejournal.com/bsg_pornbattle/); prompts were 'fighter' and 'destiny'.

**Disclaimer:** Faith Lehane is the property of Joss Whedon, UPN, and Mutant Enemy Inc. Kara Thrace, Lee Adama, and any other characters mentioned here are the property of the Sci-Fi (SyFy) Network, Ron Moore, and David Eick Productions. No copyright infringement is intended.

~*~

Kara's had it with this godsdamned town, this country...this whole motherfrakking planet, actually. Because getting taken in to the Los Angeles Correctional Institute is nowhere near the same as being thrown in hack, and she's Kara Thrace - she's Starbuck, violent and volatile, and let's face it, she gets thrown in hack a lot. At least Galactica's brig smells better than this - and that's saying a lot, considering how water conservation had left quite a large extent of the population going for days without bathing. B.O. Kara can handle, having spent most of her post-Academy life in overcrowded bunkrooms with hygiene-challenged pilots; and more than often, she herself falls into that category. But this place, an actual _jail_? Reeks of rancid food, vomit, and stale piss. Kara wrinkles her nose in disgust as the guard pushes her further down the cell-lined corridor.

He opens the third door from the end and twists her arm to shove her inside. Kara grimaces, more in annoyance than in pain. She holds her wrists out so that the guard can unlock the shackles, which he does with a smirk. Kara ignores him in favor of rubbing the skin rubbed raw by the sharp metal edges of the cuff. The skin stings, and this uniform they've made her wear is stiff and scratchy. Turning around, Kara surveys the rest of her current home - the toilet is chipped and rusting, the mattresses stained a dark yellowish-brown and gods frakking _damn_ Lee Adama. When she finally gets out of here his testicles and his eyeballs are going to be switching places.

"Whoever it is, don't bother."

Kara jumps at the low feminine voice that comes from the back corner of the cell. She blinks rapidly, letting her eyes adjust to the dark, and when they do she finally spots her. There's a woman sitting cross-legged on the floor, back leaning against the crumbling cement wall. Her hair is limp and tangled, and there are deep circles that seem to be permanently etched beneath her eyes, yet still there is something about her demeanor that emanates power, strength.

"Excuse me?" Kara says.

"Whoever you're blaming right now," the other woman advises. "Don't bother. It's not worth it. That's the first thing you learn in here - the more you blame other people for your own fuck-ups, the more times you're gonna end up in shitholes like this."

Kara cocks her head to the side and studies her cell mate in astonishment. She's pretty sure that's the first intelligent thing she's heard anyone say since they discovered this gods-forsaken planet.

The dark-headed woman smiles, pushing off the wall to rise to her feet. "So. Whaddaya in for?" Kara leans back against the bars.

"Nearly killing someone," she grumbles. "In my defense, he deserved it. Assault and battery my ass - I was doing this place a favor." Kara nudges the ground with the toe of her boot. "What about you?"

"Actually killing someone," her cell mate offers. Kara's brows raise, but she can't say that she's all too surprised; the brunette across from her practically radiates barely-restrained rage. It's alluring, in its own strange way. The other woman holds out a hand.

"I'm Faith," she says. Kara shakes, pleasantly surprised by a grasp that seems firm even to someone who's had a Viper throttle between her palms for the last decade.

"Kara," she offers in return. Not even caring anymore about the uncleanliness anymore, because to be honest she's been in worse, she flops down onto the bed closest to her. Faith takes a seat on the other. "So granted, there's a lot about this world that I don't understand, but the legal system is something I've gotten to get up close and personal with - don't you usually go to prison if you kill someone?" Faith shrugs.

"Been there, done that, out on good behavior. Well, almost out. Think they might let me go under heavy probation in a few months. Then again I'm not exactly on the best of terms with the lawyers in this town, so. Who knows." Kara snorts.

"I know that feeling," she says. "My best friend is a lawyer...not it's even recognized down here, plus he's half the reason I'm in jail to begin with, the frakhead." Faith raises an eyebrow.

"Where exactly are you from?" she inquires. Kara studies the ceiling, hating the question more with each time it gets asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." It's her standard reply, after far too much wasted time trying to explain their predicament to confused strangers. Her heart aches for the Galactica bunkroom, Lee's lumbering snores from the rack across from hers. She may hate the sight of him at the moment, but he's the best thing she's got out here.

"Try me," Faith challenges, snapping Kara back into the present. She snorts.

"It's okay. I'm probably crazy," Kara says seriously. Faith shrugs.

"I like crazy people," she says. "They make life more interesting. 'Sides - you see some of the stuff I've seen and you'll believe just about anything." Kara turns her head on the lumpy pillow.

"Would you believe me if I said I was from another planet?" she asks. Faith whistles.

"Can't say I've heard that one before," she admits. Kara has none of her belongings with her to prove herself - they even took her tags, and her neck feels uncomfortably naked without them clinking softly against her chest. But there's one thing they couldn't remove. She sits up and unbuttons the navy blue uniform top, stripping down to the white tank beneath it. Faith sees the tattoo immediately. "That's _wicked_," she breathes in awe. Kara directs her gaze to the constellation at the bottom of the wing.

"That's the star sign of my home planet," she says. Well. Half of it, anyway. But she doesn't need to go into that. Unlike most people that she's talked to since arriving here, Faith doesn't look like she's humoring her; she actually seems to believe her. Kara's confused when she leans over the edge of the bed, but when Faith sits back up she can see that she's fished out a carton of cigarettes. Faith digs out a pack and a lighter, extracts two, and waves one in Kara's direction.

"You smoke?" she asks. Kara doesn't know if consuming one of these dinky little things can truly be considered smoking, but it's not like she's going to find any of Caprica's finest lying around, so she accepts it. Faith lights her own and touches the tip to Kara's, and soon there are two small dots of orange embers marring the darkness of the cell. Kara lays back down and breathes in deep.

"So what are you doing here then?" Faith asks. "I mean shouldn't you be in a spaceship or something?" Kara closes her eyes. Yes, she really should.

"Planets were gone years ago. Some of the ships got damaged or destroyed along the way. Your military's got the last of them locked up somewhere, just to make sure we don't actually try to escape. You ask me this whole damn world's a frakking jail."

"It does seem that way sometimes, doesn't it?" Faith agrees. Kara takes another drag of the cigarette and eyes the other woman across from her.

"What time is it?" she asks. Faith shrugs.

"Late.". Kara blows out a mouthful of smoke. "Why? You tired?" She shakes her head.

"Too buzzed. I'm gonna be up all night." Faith flicks the ash off the end of her cigarette. Gentle as snow, it drifts down to the concrete floor. "I'm not gonna keep you up, am I?" A feral grin splits the seam of Faith's lips, baring her teeth.

"I'm pretty much nocturnal," she replies. Kara feels the beginning of a similar smile start to cross her own mouth. She likes Faith - in a world that's gaudy and over-processed, everyone trying so desperately to conceal their true identities behind the mask of what they think others wants to see, Faith is a refreshing change. She's blunt, effortlessly calm, and doesn't look ready to lock her in a loony bin any moment.

"Got any ideas about the best way to waste a sleepless night in prison?" Kara asks. Faith finishes her cigarette and crushes it beneath the heel of her boot. When she rises from her seat on the bed, it's fluid and graceful in a manner not unlike a jungle cat. Kara's cigarette is still dangling between her fingers - when Faith reaches her bed, she takes a final drag before subjecting it to the same fate as her own.

"Jail. Not prison. There's a difference, remember?" she says. Kara shrugs, letting a hand settle onto her stomach where her tank is riding up.

"You really wanna argue semantics right now?" she asks. Faith's grin melts into what Kara thinks is a genuine smile - less with her teeth, more with her eyes.

"No," she agrees. "No, I really don't."

Faith climbs onto Kara's bed and straddles her. Kara rests her hands on Faith's thighs and settles back to watch the show as the other woman unbuttons her shirt, slides it down her arms, and tosses it to the floor on top of Kara's own. Her tank goes next, followed by her sports bra. She doesn't waste time being coy or seductive, and for this Kara is grateful. There are no illusions here - this is sex, simple and straightforward.

Faith leans down for a kiss at the same moment that Kara surges upwards, and they meet halfway with a jolting click of teeth. Kara's hands hands come up immediately, eagerly cupping bare breasts. It's not her first time with a woman, but it's been so long that she's nearly forgotten how much she enjoyed it, how the softness was just as satisfying as the rock-hard solidity of a male body, in a completely different way. Then again, neither of them are particularly soft or delicate. Faith is wiry and muscular, Kara slightly bulkier and with none of her companion's predatory grace. As her hands roam Faith's bare torso she finds multiple scars, burns, sees a tattoo marring the skin of her arm. Faith is as flawed and broken as she is, and the knowledge only makes her want the other other woman more.

Kara takes one hand to the back of Faith's head, and uses the other to roll them to their side in the bed. She strips off her tank and bra without hesitation, and Faith's mouth goes directly to her left nipple. She follows with the right, then back again, until Kara is moaning loud enough that the entire cell block likely hears her. If Faith minds she gives no indication, and Kara wonders idly how many other women in this hellhole are doing the same thing, clinging to each other just to have something to cling to. The morose thoughts are chased from her mind when Faith slips a hand between her pants and underwear. It's a light, glancing stroke across the fabric still covering her, but it makes Kara's entire body shudder. She yanks Faith's hand from its confines and attempts to divest both of them of the rest of their clothing, only to discover that they both still have their boots on.

"Frak," she shouts in frustration. Faith chuckles as she scrambles out of the bed and undoes her laces so that she can toe them off one by one. She takes down the pants, watches Faith do the same with both of her remaining layers while still lying on the bed. Her legs part invitingly, and Kara trails a hand along her knee and down her thigh.

"Can't do much good from up there," Faith says matter-of-factly. She hooks one finger into the waistband of Kara's underwear and tugs her towards down towards her. Kara is all too happy to oblige. She slips between Faith's open thighs and stretches her entire body out over her. They kiss, more forceful than before. Kara grinds her hips against Faith's. She only gets in one thrust before the other woman has yanked the cotton panties down to her knees and rolled them onto their sides again. Kara kicks off the underwear and reaches between them to find Faith's clit, already scorching and slick. She gives it a sharp tug and Faith hums her approval into Kara's mouth. She flicks it a few more times before sliding her fingers higher and probing her entrance. Her mouth travels from Faith's mouth down her neck, across her collarbone, sucks each nipple in turn. She withdraws her fingers so that she can slide lower, follow the dip of her stomach with her tongue, until she finally reaches Faith's dripping cunt. She gives it an experimental lick and is imminently pleased with the results - not only is it as heady of a taste as she remembers, but the way Faith's body arches like a bow off of the mattress is a sight whose beauty has no place in their dingy surroundings.

"Come up here," the brunette demands. There's a breathless hitch in her voice that makes Kara smirk. She starts to crawl her way back to that luscious mouth, but Faith shakes her head. "Not what I meant," she corrects. Kara puzzles for a moment before she finally figures it out and _gods, yes_. She repositions her knees and lifts the left, pivots on the right, until she's reaching Faith's pussy from the opposite direction and she feels a finger slide swiftly into her own. Her entire body goes rigid. Faith adds another finger, then three, giving Kara barely enough time to breathe in between. With her index, middle, and ring finger all buried to the third knuckle, she finally begins thrusting. Kara bows her head to Faith's glistening lips and sucks them into her mouth. Upside-down, it's harder to reach the clit, but if Faith's squirming is anything to go by, she seems to be doing quite well. Kara parts Faith's folds, holding them open with her fingers, and angles her tongue inside of her. It's still awkward, coming at everything backwards, so she leans forward to get the correct angle so that she can stiffen her tongue and thrust it inside of Faith. Faith's free hand clamps onto Kara's left ass cheek, and she uses her strong grip to set a rhythm between her fingers and Kara's tongue. It starts at a moderate pace, but as Faith's moaning grows louder their speed increases, until Kara's jaw is stretched and sore and she's about to change tactics but no, there it is. Faith's hip jerk off of the bed, almost hitting Kara in the face, but she holds her down by her hipbones until she rides out the final waves of her orgasm.

Faith sighs in satisfaction. As her body relaxes, her fingers start to slide out of Kara's pussy. "Hey!" Kara protests.

Faith's eyes snap open. "Sorry," she murmurs. She resumes her pace, quickly speeding to double-time, but Kara is restless and frustrated and feels like she's still no closer to release. She's been this tense and on-edge all day, so high-strung that to be honest she wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come at all. But Faith is having none of that; it's almost as if she takes Kara's body's uncooperativeness as a personal challenge. Her thumb briefly joins her other fingers, then pulls back out again. Kara can't see what she's doing, nor can she form any sort of coherent request right now, so she remains silent, hoping that Faith will replace the fourth finger. She does, just not in the way Kara was expecting; with the three continuing to thrust inside her, Faith draws her now lubricated thumb upwards, where it hovers for a moment before pushing its way into Kara's ass.

Kara cries out. She's so very close, teetering on the edge, relief just beyond the horizon but not quite in her grasp. Until Faith sucks her clit into her mouth. And that's it, Kara's gone. It's an assault from all angles and her body finally gives up the ghost - she comes long and hard, all but screaming. When she's finished she can barely find the energy to swing her body back around. Faith helps, pulling her up so that their faces are next to each other on the pillow, and they can engage in a sloppy kiss.

"Well," Faith finally says. "So that's what sex with an alien is like." Kara laughs.

"Guess this'll make a great story when you get out of here," she says. Faith scoffs.

"Honey, I've already slept with a vampire, a few demons, and an English guy. You're just one on the list."

"Dude, there's no such thing as vampires," Kara says incredulously. Faith schools her face into a serious expression.

"Right. I mean, people can come from outer space, but vampires can't _possibly_ exist," she agrees. Kara wants to argue the point, but her lids are drooping even as she tries to form a sentence, and the next thing she knows she's being awoken from dreams of Helo sucking her blood by the guard banging on the cell bars.

"Christ," he mutters. "Put your fucking clothes on, your bail's been posted." He sounds annoyed, but Kara notices that that doesn't stop him from ogling both of them as she stumbles back into the uncomfortable navy uniform. Sun is streaming through the window, and in the light of day Kara can see a ratty old blanket at the foot of her bed. She uses it to cover Faith's sleeping form.

"Nocturnal my ass," she mutters fondly.

"Okay, we get it. Tell your girlfriend goodbye and get out here." Yesterday, Kara thinks she probably would have decked the guy. (She was already in jail, what was the worst that could happen after that?) Today, she feels loose and fluid, maybe even with a hint of those cat-like reflexes. She smiles infuriatingly at the guard as he leads her back down the corridor, to the waiting room where Lee is bouncing anxiously from one foot to the other. Kara grins at the sight of him.

"You posted my bail?" she asks. Lee glares.

"Yes I paid your frakking bail," he grumbles. "Who the frak else was going to do it?" Kara signs the necessary paperwork and flings her arms around his neck as she waits for the officer behind the desk to retrieve her belongings.

"Thank you," she says sincerely. Lee's is still sulking.

"No more bar fights Kara," he says. "I mean it - I can't keep pulling your ass out of trouble every two weeks just because you got drunk and angry. And do you have any idea how much this is costing me? I mean I've been working my ass off my entire life and now they tell me all I can get is a minimum wage-" His words are cut off when Kara kisses him.

"I got it," she promises. "No more fucking up."

"Fucking up?" Lee repeats. Kara takes the plastic bag from the desk guard and sorts through her things, just to be sure. Her tags fall onto the counter with a clink and she looks at them for a moment. Instead of putting them back around her neck, she slips them into her pocket.

"The Colonies are gone, Lee," she says. "We're here now. We've gotta stop pretending like everything's the same and just do the best with what we can." Lee looks gobsmacked, and Kara can't blame him; she's never really been one for philosophy or for rationalization. But if there was one thing that Faith was right about, it was that it was time she owned up to her own mistakes, or she was just going to end up back where she started.

As they exit the jailhouse, Kara leans over to take Lee's hand in hers.

"You've got a hickey on your neck," he mutters sullenly. Kara grins.

"Want me to give you one to match?" she asks. Lee grimaces, but he doesn't pull away.

It's a start.


End file.
